I Changed My Mind On Zionism—Thanks To Both The Irrational Left And Right

Once again, I find myself a black sheep.

The truth isn’t found by running in the opposite direction of what you denounce. More often than not, you’ll just reach a converse but equally flawed position as your opponent. 

As nationwide campus protests against Zionism have gained attention for the ignorant and ugly beliefs some activists espouse, we’re seeing yet again that many people don’t adopt beliefs because they’re true, but because it’s what their peers will praise. Both the authoritarian Left and Right have mirrored each other’s failures for centuries—their current approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proves nothing has changed.

After October 7th, I joined many others by instantly aligning with the Zionist position. I hadn’t thought much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before, so my first time ever seriously considering it was spurred on by the horror of that massacre. I felt a visceral disgust that made me sympathize with Israel—a country I knew little about—and feel contempt for Islam and the Middle East—a…